Mr Willis

Ok guys my car isn't starting it's just ticking when i turn the key. If i have my buddy jump it, it starts. Does that mean it's the battery? I mean if i have a bad starter the car wouldn't start with a jump correct?

JNCoRacer

iTrader: (6)

Sounds like the battery. Try cleaning the battery posts and the cable connections real good first.

Mr Willis

I did that already and i just called autozone and they said it may possibly be the starter also. Thanks for the response.

chillin014

iTrader: (67)

there is a little electrical component by your ignition under the steering wheel that goes bad and causes this. i had this happen to my car and sometimes it would just click, and take me like multiple times turning the key, or it would start right away. before you go replacing the starter check into it.give me one second to check through my old threads to see what it was called.

JNCoRacer

iTrader: (6)

If it starts while being jumped then its not the starter. I'm 99.9% sure its the battery. Also, if its an old battery you might want to replace it anyways, if not you'll have to find what's draining it....such as interior lights left on,...etc.

chillin014

iTrader: (67)

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=434177

its called the ignition switch. i dont think it cost me but maybe 40 bucks at the dealership.

felix

iTrader: (13)

It's the alternator. Mine did this couple weeks ago.

chillin014

iTrader: (67)

i think its the altezzas.
just kidding. yours was the alternator, his might not be the exact same thing.
i wouldnt jump to conclusions like that.. there's a couple different things it could be.

Mr Willis

There is a light inside my car that is CONSTANTLY lit. It is the viper alarm light and it never flashes or anything, should it? Would that be able to drain the battery over night though?

EDIT: it's not constantly lit (MY BAD), it blinks actually just like the STOCK security light.

felix

iTrader: (13)

I'm just saying that my car died and wouldn't start. It just clicked. We jumped it and it ran for 5 minutes then died again. I replaced the bad alternator that drained my brand new battery and now my car is fine again.

Winchester

I replaced my battery just yesterday. The car would start on warm days, but just barely. Then Wednesday, for the first time, it just clicked when I went to start it. With a jump from my wife's car, it was good to go again. It even started fine for the rest of the day. It was warmer then however, so that probably made a difference. Thursday, it did the same thing. This time, I didn't jump it off. It went to Walmart later that afternoon and bought a replacement. Problem solved. Why anyone would think it was the starter at this point is beyond me. You can get it tested for free at almost any place that sells batteries. Drive in, hook it up....done. 5 minutes. Then, you'd know for sure.

Mr Willis

Well yeah if it died while driving i could see how it was the alternator but my car runs fine. I only have problems starting the car for the first time of the day. Thank's for the response.

Mr Willis

Anyone? Anyone?

JPMax

iTrader: (10)

My car clicked like that when my starter finally died.
Has the starter ever given you any problems? loud EErrr kinda sound when you start the car on cold mornings, etc.

As for the alarm light...
I have a python alarm and the light is only on constantly if I put it in valet mode. If it's in normal mode, it will flash slowly when the car is off.

Mr Willis

Got it jumped, took it to autozone,they checked the charging system and it was charging the battery properly. My battery was only reading like 250 when it should have been around 500. So now we know It's not the starter or the alternator the battery has to be getting drained by something but WTF could it be?

deeloc

Originally Posted by Mr Willis
There is a light inside my car that is CONSTANTLY lit. It is the viper alarm light and it never flashes or anything, should it? Would that be able to drain the battery over night though?


a constant read light on your alarm just means your alarm is in valet mode(inactive). you can still lock and unlock your doors through it but the actual alarm is basically in standby mode. this will not drain your battery.

MaximaSE96

iTrader: (8)

if ur car doesnt die when its running its prolly the battery...if it sits for while and is dead it prolly ur battery.....if ur car dies when its running it prolly alternator....

Mr Willis

i have 2 indicator light's on my car. 1 red one that came with the car which always blinks, and the purple viper one that blinks also.

Maxima880

You can check the condition of your battery by charging it up then unhooking the battery cables for a few hours and testing the voltage. If below 12V it's definitely a bad battery.

9maxima6

iTrader: (8)

i agree.. its prob the battery.. i had the same prob with my beater truck...all it did was click but the connections to the battery were bad.. good luck

MDeezy

iTrader: (27)

a functional alternator isnt needed for starting up the car. Its needed to recharge it when the car is started.

Its your battery. Put a new one in, if the new battery cant hold a charge, you have a bad alty.

crosbyct

OK, so to sum up what everyone's said: Replace the battery. If it does that again, then you can probably bet it's the alternator. No big deal. Won't cost too much to fix. If you take it to a shop and it isn't the alternator, it's probably the ignition switch. Another simple fix.

Mr Willis

Well today the car wasn't even clicking when i turned the key. Everything gets very dim meaning the battery is dead, BUT WHY? I can't figure this out.

Maxima880

A battery does not necessarily have to have a discharge current draw in order to lose voltage. If a battery has a bad cell (or more) it will lose voltage even if unhooked from all cables. Put it on a charger and charge it at a high setting for a few hours, or overnight. Unhook it and let it set for 6 or 12 hours then chech the voltage. If it's below 12V the battery has a bad cell. No question about it.

crosbyct

How old is the battery?

Mr Willis

That's right, someone tried to break into my car because the driver side door seel is damaged and i see some scratches. My alarm never goes off and i'm not sure if i even have an alarm. I have keyless and remote start but i never get a chirp when i hit the lock button. Maybe someone kept trying to break in and setting off the alarm although i hear nothing and no light's flash? Could that possibly be what's draining my battery?

Get this. I went to denny's to pick up an order. i came back to my car and when i turned the key, NOTHING. no interior light's or anything. I hit the break and then the interior light's came on and i could start the car. I bought this car with 171,000 miles and i'm not very firmiliar with these viper alarms or WHATEVER i have!

JPMax

iTrader: (10)

I think you need to take the car to a stereo/alarm shop and have them check out the system. Possibly something wrong with the wiring.

Mr Willis

so today i went out to my car, turned the key and the car wouldn't even crank because the battery was drained. I noticed the power antenna wasn't all the way down. I think that has to be it, the antenna motor is probably running constantly trying to get the antenna down.

Is this possible? I'm thinking that has to be it.

Batxel

iTrader: (1)

It's obviously something wrong with your wiring in your car somewhere whether its your alarm or stereo. My antenna doesn't work either but the motor shuts down after 20 secs of so of trying to move it up/down. I would advise you to take it to car stereo/alarm shop to see if they can diagnose it for you. Or you can do some trial and error of taking out fuses until you find out was draining your battery. Start with the alarm then the stereo, etc

Mr Willis

Could someone be draining my battery on purpose? Is there any way to do this? I swear to god i'm ready to bash someone's god dam face in, like the guy i bought it from.

BlackMaxdout

there's more to batteries than just voltage. Especially lead-acid batteries that are in cars. A lead-acid battery can have a voltage reading of 12volts, but that doesn't necessarily mean that it's putting the correct current out. For instance, I have a 6volt lead-acid battery that reads 12volts when I test it, but it still won't light a small 10watt 12 volt light bulb. (the light bulb goes with the battery...it's a bike light) The battery can't put out enough amps to do anything, so it's junk...whether it holds voltage or not.

Clicking suggests the solenoid is tripping, which means there isn't enough juice from the battery to trip it completely. (battery is toast) If a new battery dies overnight as well, you either have something that is being left on, or you have a grounding short somewhere. If car dies while driving, your alternator is dead.

xCarreraGTx

what a good timing...i've been having this prob with my car too. i got the starter replaced a few days ago but i guess it wasn't that. i guess i gotta look into ignition switch and battery now

Mr Willis

That was it. I finally gave em a good cleaning and that's what it was. UNBELIEVEABLE! Thanks for all the responses